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and
Social Science.
The Forum was envisaged as having 4 main objectives:
- To strengthen
the links between the Centre and the corresponding Faculties at
Kabul University (KU)
- To promote
the culture of research at these faculties
- To train
both faculty and top students in research methodology on an intensive
and ongoing basis
- To create
a pool of researchers from which the Centre would draw for carrying
out its own research projects, and offer researchers to other institutions
in Kabul
GARF
I
In
order to achieve these objectives a two-month course in research methodology
was planned and devised for 60 members of the three corresponding Faculties
at Kabul University. These included 10 lecturers and 10 students from
each Faculty, so that in all, 30 lecturers and 30 students were trained.
Trainees were offered ‘scholarships’ to attend, and were paid only upon
completion of the entire course and final project. Non-attendance at
daily sessions was penalized each time.
In order to facilitate the selection process for the 60 candidates,
each Faculty was asked to select a Project Coordinator. The Coordinators
were given the following duties:
- To arrange
for the selection of 10 lecturers from their respective Faculties
- To nominate
15 top students to be interviewed for the selection of the final
10
- To ensure
adherence to the conditions attached to attendance of GARF
- To ensure
completion of practical projects at the end of GARF
Seven
trainers were employed to teach the different sections of the course.
These included six members from different Faculties of Kabul University
with post-graduate degrees obtained from universities outside Afghanistan.
They were also joined by Dr Karl Fischer of the Hans Seidel Foundation,
who taught as guest trainer.
Upon satisfactory completion of the two-month course and submission
of a final practical project, trainees were awarded Certificates of
Attendance in appreciation.
GARF I began in October 2006 and ended December 2006. The NCPR plans
to repeat the same course in 2007.
The
Opening
“GARF” was launched officially in an opening ceremony held at the Conference
Hall of the Ministry of Higher Education on 29/10/2006 Guests
of honour included His Excellency the German Ambassador, His Excellency
the Minister of Higher Education, the Chief Advisor to the Minister
of Higher Education, and the Chancellor of Kabul University.
In addition, the opening was attended by some 90 guests, including the
60 selected GARF trainees, Deans of the Faculties of Law & Political
Science, Economics, and Social Science, GARF Coordinators, GARF trainers,
scholars from the Science Academy of Kabul, and colleagues from German
organizations active in Kabul
Trainee’s
Two categories of trainees were selected to take part in GARF.
One category consisted of 10 lecturers from each Faculty considered
to be suitable by the appointed Coordinators and Faculty Deans. Suitability
was based on youthfulness or research experience. A number of younger
lecturers were chosen because it was felt they were more open to learning
the new methodology required for current scientific research, whereas
older lecturers were felt to be set in their old ways of doing research
and probably not open to being taught new techniques. At the same time,
some of the older lecturers, who have gained experience of modern research
and who expressed a particular desire to be brought up to date, were
included. In all 30 lecturers were selected from the three Faculties.
The other category of trainees consisted of 10 students from each Faculty.
Initially top students from each year were nominated, totaling 15 from
each Faculty, totaling 45 in all. All 45 were then interviewed by a
panel of interviewers composed of NCPR Department Heads and two trainers.
As a result of performance in the interviews, 10 students were selected
from each Faculty, totaling 30 students in all.
Trainers
Trainers were chosen on the basis of qualification and experience in
research and research methodology. Although from different disciplines,
all trainers were academics with direct experience of teaching research
methodology, participation in research, and in-depth knowledge of Afghanistan.
Course
structure
The course began by addressing some fundamental questions such
as the importance of scientific research, in particular in the humanities;
ethics of research; the role of research in policy making; and the role
of institutions and centers such as the NCPR in this process. This was
considered necessary as this tripartite relationship is relatively new
in Afghanistan, and it was felt that such an introduction would provide
information on the NCPR on the one hand, and set the correct context
for the course on the other hand.
The course then dealt with the different stages of conducting research
in a systematic manner, beginning with the different ways in which research
ideas come into being and hypotheses are tested, followed by the different
means of collating information – in the field and the library - , qualitative
and quantitative analysis of data, through to the presentation of findings
in different formats.
Once the training was completed, trainees were asked to conduct a short
research project, under the supervision of Department Heads. These were
assessed according to pre-set criteria:
- Attendance
during the entire GARF program
- Submission
of a research group project at the end
- Participation
in the daily sessions
GARF
certificates were given three categories:
A = Excellent
B = Good
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